1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to seating devices and, more specifically, to static tree suspended seating devices. Devices in this field do not vary greatly in terms of form and function. If the class of non-static tree suspended seating is eliminated, such as swings, most static tree seats are of rigid construction, somewhat heavy and bulky. Certainly none are small enough to be classified as pocketable. The present invention, the Roll-up Tree Seat, is the exception to this characterization. It is a lightweight, strong, durable tree seat that is small enough when rolled up for carrying and storage, to fit into some pockets and easily into any backpack. In form and function, the tree seat is similar to a small hammock: a triangular-shaped sling constructed of nylon or similar material suspended between two rigid supports. Its unique construction is highly appropriate to its intended use as a hunter or camper seat. The seat must be used with both feet on the ground for stability, since the front of the sling is supported by a single telescopic pole which is free to pivot on the pointy end that rests against the tree trunk. While this might be a handicap in a seat such as a lounge chair, it is apropos for such dynamic activities as hunting or camping which require that both feet be literally on the ground.
The roll-up tree seat consists of 4 basic components. Shown is a tree strap wrapped around a proximate tree for anchoring the back end of the seat; a snap on metallic link to connect the seat back and the tree strap; the seat itself, and an adjustable telescopic front support pole which hooks into the front of the seat one end and rests against the tree trunk at the pointed end. The seat can be adjusted not only for height but also for more or less tautness by extending or retracting the pole respectively and/or decreasing or increasing the distance between the seat back attachment point and the position of the pointed end of the pole respectively. This corresponds to its appropriateness of use in either a hunting scenario where alertness is required or to a more relaxed camping situation.
The tree strap is sufficient for most seat anchoring situations including utilizing trees up to 3 feet in diameter. The buckle is a spring-loaded locking type that assures a secure anchoring means. The strap is wound about the tree trunk at least twice, at a height appropriate to the user and tightened with the link secured to it. The seat back, a folding metal bracket assembly into which the seat strapping material is secured, is attached, in turn, to the link. The strapping material consist of 3 straps attached to one half of the folding bracket, looped together through a one strap width aperture in the front seat bracket and attached symmetrically to the other half of the folding bracket. This arrangement results in a triangular shaped hammock-like seat consisting of 6 straps with two cross straps added for lateral support. The front seat bracket has a hole in it which attaches to the hooked upper end portion of the telescoping, front seat, support pole.
With its unique character and many advantages over prior art, the present invention is truly the ultimate portable tree seat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other portable seating devices designed for hunting and camping. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,344 issued to David G. Beauchemin on Jun. 27, 1995.
Another patent was issued to Marvin Berk on Jun. 27, 1995 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,575. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,463 was issued to Donald R. Soisson on Feb. 10, 1976 and still yet another was issued on Nov. 26, 1991 to Wen-Guo Tsai as U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,706.
Another patent was issued to Tony Chang on Aug. 24, 1993 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,456.
A portable hanging shelf system is disclosed wherein one or more shelves are suspended in a horizontal position from generally vertical objects of varying diameter. A non-elastic flexible fabric belt encircles generally vertical objects of varying diameters, such as a tree trunk, and an adjustable lever-type buckle on the belt releasably grips and applies tension in the encircled portion of the belt to firmly secure a pair of brackets to the curved surface of the vertical object. A cord is connected to each bracket and forms a loop which receives one or more flat rectangular shelves. The cords pass through slots at the opposed ends of each shelf and the shelves are secured in an adjustable horizontal position at the desired height above the ground by a cord lock or by passing the cord through additional slots. Because the top ends of the cords are very close to the vertical object, when weight is placed on the shelf, the center of gravity of the shelf is spaced horizontally outward from its point of suspension and the resultant weight force causes the shelf to press firmly inward against the vertical object. All the components can be stored in a compact configuration and are easily transported in a backpack. The portable shelf system eliminates the need for nails or screws to be driven into trees and is particularly useful for campers and backpackers.
Toteable swings with a variety of seats designed in characterized form appealing to children come in kits. The swings are highly portable, light weight, and easily carried by children. The swings are designed to be taken along on family outings and can be used wherever there is a suitable tree limb or an appropriate stand. The swing kit includes a designed seat and a nylon rope with a beaded end used for securing the seat and swing and for adjusting swing height for the individual using the swing. Changeable seats are supplied in a variety of flattened characterized seat designs, a half moon and face shape, a baseball and mitt, a flattened friendly elephant, and a mischievous dinosaur. Other designs can be added.
A swing for both arcuate and rotational motion has a disc platform for passengers and multiple, congruently attached support strands adapted for securing to a horizontal support member. The bight of a strand passes around the support member such that two free ends of the strand may pass through the disc to lock as to adjustably secure the ends to the disc. The strand pairs are fixed to the horizontal support member at spaced positions on the member congruent with the position of the strands on the disc. The disc is provided with a peripheral rim having top and bottom walls. Extending through the walls is a plurality of spaced apart vertical apertures. The lower wall is provided with a depression placed adjacent each aperture. Extending across the depression and spaced from the bottom of the depression is a rigidly attached lock bar. The disc platform is swingedly attached to the support by passing each end of each strand pair through a vertical aperture and each end is then passed between the bottom of the depression and the lock bar and anchored at that point.
A multiple-purpose playing set includes a basic seat supported on a rope secured to a ceiling or a frame for serving as a swing, a longitudinal plate having a central portion engageable with the basic seat for serving as a seesaw, a basin having a central portion engageably mounted on the basic seat for serving as a cradle, and at least a bar tied on the rope for serving as a high bar or as a ladder. The longitudinal plate may also be inclinedly secured on the rope having an upper end portion of the rope fixed on an upper frame or a ceiling and having a lower end portion of the rope fixed on a bottom wall or a floor for serving as a slide
A reinforced swing seat includes a swing seat having a pair of reinforcing members embedded in two opposite end portions of the swing seat, each reinforcing member make of reinforced engineering plastic material and integrally molded and combined with an intermediate strap portion disposed between the two opposite end portions of the seat and each reinforcing member having a plurality of stabilizing stems respectively protruding upwardly and downwardly from the reinforcing member to increase its cross linking and binding with the swing seat also made of plastic material but with lower cost when integrally molded together, thereby providing a swing seat having proper tensile strength and reasonable cost.
While these suspended tree platform devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.